Ah, the Great Northwest

After a week in Minnesota, it was a relief to touch down in Seattle Sunday evening. This is no slight to Minnesota--the people I met there, those folks who shepherded me from place to place, the scenery and the food--were all wonderful. Old friends (and new ones) helped make me feel like their home was my home and I could feel the slightest sense of roots finding their ways down. Not in a sense of Minnesota being a home to me in any way, but a place that I can imagine returning and, in one way or another, feeling welcome.

The pictures above are from a couple moments along my tour. The spot at the microphone was during my interview at MPR, in the American Public Media building. What an amazing place. It was a great interview and I felt pretty on top of things, even though in the picture I look like I've had one pause too many with the traveling Pepsi can (some of you may not be able to make heads or tails of that reference, but my memories of high school Saturday nights at Harborview Park Beach brings the image to mind). I was in complete possession of my faculties; my eyes were just a little slow on the take.

The other picture is that of me and Don Claret, the grandson of Elmer Jackson's cousin. He came to two of my readings, and we were able to have dinner together both times. What a great guy. Who'd have thought we'd have become good friends? Full circle.

Sunday in St. Paul

Yesterday's read at the Swedenborgian Church went well, though the turnout wasn't what the organizers from Common Good Books had hoped for. It was a sunny day, the kind of day that St. Paulians wait months for (we do the same in Seattle). So it was understandable that less people wanted to spend a Sunday afternoon indoors. Still, it went well. The staff from Common Good were wonderful and made the talk go so smoothly. The only disappointment was that Garrison Keillor was not able to make it in due to a delayed flight, but he more than made up for it by passing on to Sue (the bookstore rep) that he LOVED the book, thought it was a personal, moving story. That's all I need!

It's snowing right now, dampening my plans to use today for a walking tour of downtown St. Paul (my only completely free day). It sure is pretty, though. Had a great dinner with Don, the grandson of Elmer Jackson's cousin, last night. It's so surreal to me, that not only would I be able to connect with the family of one of the lynched men, but that we would be become friends. Who'd have thought? Crazy world.

10 Days and Counting

In just over a week I'll be off to Minnesota to begin what is, essentially, my book tour. It's exciting, the best news being that Garrison Keillor is flying in to host the event for his store, Common Good Books. I'm still soaking that one in. Amazing.

I'm coming down with a cold and feel like my body's been drained of its blood and replenished with tar. My head is in a fog and I have no energy and the worst thing is that there is no way for me to take a day off or crawl into bed and sleep it off. Open house tonight at school, prepping for travel (not to mention we're still having a kitchen remodel going, so I can't very well sleep with construction going on in the house). My friend just got back from Cancun and two other friends are off to Puerto Vallarta, so my jealousy is raging. I'm confident that my turn in the tropics will come...